Gonzales Nomination Moves to Senate Vote

By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - A Senate Judiciary Committee divided along partisan lines advanced Alberto Gonzales' nomination as attorney general to the full Senate Wednesday despite Democratic complaints that he is too close to President Bush (news - web sites) to be effective as the nation's top law enforcement official.
It's hard to be a straight shooter when you're a blind loyalist," said Sen. Charles Schumer D-N.Y.
Republicans muscled Gonzales' nomination through the panel on a 10-8 party line vote and are expected to use their 55-44 advantage to confirm him there next week at the earliest.
Bush had urged lawmakers earlier Wednesday to "promptly act and confirm Judge Al Gonzales. He'll be a great attorney general."
"The political theater, delays and attempts to obstruct this outstanding nomination are now one step away from their rightful conclusion: an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas., after the committee vote.
The party line vote for Gonzales mirrored the vote four years ago for current Attorney General John Ashcroft who is still a lightning rod for Democratic criticism.H.L.s Take: Joe Biden voted for Condi, so from now on
whenever he speaks on this site, it will be in Pink, for the Pansy, or Pussy that he is. "Even voting against him, he's a significant improvement over the attorney general we have there now," said Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del.
But being "less polarizing than John Ashcroft is not enough to get my vote," Schumer said.
Democrats complained that Gonzales was evasive with his answers to their questions about White House policies in the war on terror. They have used his nomination and that of secretary of state nominee Condoleezza Rice to criticize the Iraq (news - web sites) war and the treatment of foreign prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, in Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Democrats laid much of the blame at Gonzales' feet. "Based on the glimpses of secret policy formulations and legal rationales that have come to light, I believe his judgments not to have been sound," said Sen. Patrick Leahy D-Vt. "His judgment is defective," Biden added.
Democrats say they will require several hours of debate on the Senate floor before allowing a confirmation vote.

Check out this cartoon of Bill O'Reilly polishing his Peabody. Or was it a Polk?Too Stupid To Be President